Angel or Father
by BJEJAP
Summary: Christine gives birth to twins, the girl is kidnapped. What happens when Erik finds her years later? Criticism appreciated
1. Default Chapter

Angel or Father Friend or Phantom  
  
Christine had chosen me she gave herself to me and I let her go..  
  
The same thing had haunted Erik's dreams for weeks. He had of course followed his love; he would have followed her to the ends of the earth, and beyond. Though he had not consciously wanted to, his body did not let him rest until he saw her. Nine months after the night she had given herself freely to him, Erik set out to see her one last time. The first thing he saw upon approaching the Chagny household was the Vicomte pacing outside, his brother, Philippe, beside him. Frankly, the site of the pompous young man walking around pensively disturbed him. Why was Christine not with him.? What had happened?  
  
"I tell you Raoul, the children cannot be yours", Philippe stuttered. "Damn you man, do you not believe I have perceived that myself? Leave me, Philippe, I must think what must be done with the children." "Calm yourself Raoul, the boy can easily pass for your son. on the other hand the girl." "Philippe, the child will have to be sent away that is all there is to it. 'Jacqueline' is what Christine calls her. Tell that to a family anywhere in the world and give her to them. Christine is not to be in the knowing." "Come inside brother. I will make arrangements as soon as I can"  
  
Erik's blood boiled at this conversation. That boy was about to send away, Christine's little baby girl. his daughter. Moreover, what was to become of his son? Obviously, he had taken on the traits of his beloved Christine, who shared somewhat of a likeness to de Chagny, with her golden hair and fair blue eyes. Stealthily climbing a wall up to a darkened window, Erik entered the house. The sounds of a baby's cry brought him right where he wanted to be. Peering into a lantern lit room; he found two newborns lying in two tiny cribs. The baby boy was the one shedding tears. Quietly seating himself down, he sang softly and quickly silenced the infant. Glancing around the room, Erik found a piece of paper that read:  
  
Charles de Chagny born May 12, 1881 7:30pm Jacqueline de Chagny born May 12, 1881 8:00pm  
  
Charles slept peacefully after Erik had sung the soft lullaby. Erik turned to the other crib and found himself looking into two tiny amber eyes. Good God so this is what the boy meant when he said she looked like me. Raoul's words, Erik found with dismay, were completely true. Jacqueline had black hair, amber eyes, a pale complexion, and long fingers designed to play a magnificent instrument. Anywhere in the world  
  
The poor child was about to be sent away from this richness into the hands of two waiting foster parents! And Erik was the only one who could stop them! Quickly he made up his mind, but sadly, it was not quick enough. The sound of de Chagny's footsteps came up to the door as the handle turned.  
  
"Philippe, take her and send her to a family in America. We can blame all this on le fantome and be done with it" Erik could do nothing but watch from the shadows as Count Philippe picked up his daughter, his beautiful amber-eyed daughter, and carried her off. Silently he watched Raoul lean over the other cradle of Charles. "A tribute to the Chagny family you are. You will make us proud." Raoul spoke softly. "Your sister on the other hand should be completely happy in America." When the Vicomte had gone Erik had his say to the babe. "I swear on my life I will bring her back to you, however long it should take" 


	2. Chapter One

Chapter One  
  
Twelve years had passed since that horrible night. And two babies had grown into two very different worlds. Charles de Chagny in a rich world of a French nobleman and Jacqueline McCarthy in a poor girl's happy go lucky life. On her twelfth birthday, Jacqueline did as she had always done since she became old enough. She awoke early in the morning to finish her chores before going to the small single room schoolhouse. Little did she know that on this particular day a guardian in black watched her every move. Nothing is to go wrong today, first I'll do all my chores, and after that I'll go inside and help Mother with breakfast. Then after breakfast it will be time for school, oh I can't wait to see Alyssa, Michelle, and Kiley! OH! I must prepare for the concert tonight I can't believe I am to sing in the new church. A million wild thoughts raced through the young will of the wisp's mind. She flew around her chores trying to keep her mind set on what she was doing but each time a bird sang her heart leapt at the sound. That very night for the first time in her life she was to sing in front of almost everyone she knew. A church had just been built in the small town and the students from the school were to each perform a piece of poetry or song. Jacqueline, who was well known to have the best voice in the school, was to sing "The Riddle Song." After school that day Jacqueline and her three dearest friends Alyssa Twiser, Michelle Baker, and Kiley White set off to a secret little clearing in the woods behind the McCarthy house.  
  
"Jacqueline sing us the song before the concert? Who knows how we may react during the concert seeing how we'll be so filled with nerves", Alyssa begged while sitting on a old tree stump, "please?" "Yeah please?" chimed in Kiley and Michelle. "You all are horrible you know I feel so stupid singing by myself!" "Jackie we know you'll sing anyway because you just love to," claimed Michelle. "But." "JUST SING THE SONG!" Kiley demanded exasperatedly. "Fine." I gave my love a cherry without a stone, I gave my love a chicken without a bone, I gave my love a story that has no end, I gave my love a baby with no crying.  
  
How can there be a cherry that has no stone? How can there be a Chicken without a bone? How can there be a story that has no end? How can there be a baby with no crying?  
  
A cherry when it's blooming, it has no stone. A chicken when it's pipping, it has no bone. The story that I love you, it has no end. A baby when it's sleeping has no crying.  
  
"Bravo!" shouted her three friends. " Come on," Jacqueline said sheepishly, " let's go get ready for the concert. *********************  
  
Erik had spent years looking for his lost little girl, but he spent every other year looking after his son and seeing how he was being brought up. Then after a year looking after Charles he would set out to America to find his daughter. Charles had grown as expected. He was a rich boy who enjoyed the best money could buy. Christine had seen to it that he was given proper music lessons, and although his teachers had been quite abysmal, he excelled quite rapidly. He of course knew of his twin sister, as Christine had horrible depression fits when missing her. When he saw them, they pained Erik greatly. Finally, after twelve years, Erik had found her. He realized he was having his second sighting of her when she became twelve years of age. Since she woke up and started the chores of many young girls, Erik watched mesmerized. This little child was the product of his sins that he was for once truly happy for. She was a little girl in a light blue dress and apron, her raven hair fell upon her back in a thick braid, and her amber eyes glowed with anticipation of the new day. Then he heard her sing. Out in the woods behind the home of her foster parents, she sang in preparation for a concert. Erik was transfixed with the sound of her voice, she had never had any training, this he knew, but somehow she seemed even more musically inclined then Charles. "Bravo," yelled her friends. Erik only dimly paid heed to their words, but soon realized the four children were heading back to the McCarthy house where dresses waited for the evening's performance. How can this be? She obviously had no idea of her identity, and she obviously does not have the money for voice lessons. So how does she know the precise pitches and some, not all, of the ways to place her voice? So this is it the true child of the angel of music! Erik had heard where the concert was going to be held by the town gossip. So he quickly took leave of the clearing, went to the church and found a perfect spot to view the show where no one could see him. Little did he, or anyone else, know what was coming. 


	3. Chapter Two

Disclaimer: Realized I forgot to put one of these on. Charles belongs to Susan Kay. I believe everyone else belongs to Leroux, except of course Jacqueline, Alyssa, Kiley, and Michelle they belong to me. well they might feel differently but that's their problem.  
  
A/N Sorry that took so long. evil parents banned me from the internet, but that did give me plenty of time to write so I can update faster now! YAY. I got confused with the paragraph breakings, hopefully it's fixed now and Scotchtapelvr- love ya babe but you will have to wait for the chapter with a certain character in it k?  
  
Jacqueline and her friends waited in the first pew for their names to be called. Each paler than the next, and all scared to death. Their hands were stiffly linked as if the first person to let go would fall into a dark abyss. They could not have been more correct.  
  
In the middle of the concert, Jacqueline was called to be the first of her friends to perform. The trembling little figure stood and walked shakily up in front of the altar. Looking out upon the faces of all the people she knew, her parents, her sister, the schoolmaster, and her friends, the girl opened her mouth and the lovely song spilled from her lips.  
  
Upon first impression, many people would not have guessed this girl possessed no musical training. Jacqueline, in her light pink dress, raven hair pulled into a bun, and her delicate amber eyes, completely lost herself in music. She filled the church up to the rafters with music.  
  
How can there be a cherry.FIRE!  
  
It had started in the back, where the doors happened to be. They were all trapped, and when this became evident, pandemonium struck out. A beam smashed to the ground crushing those beneath it. Then when no one was looking a man in black smashed a window as a way of escape. Before anyone could see him, he ran back into the midst of the crowd getting women and their families out the opening.  
  
************  
  
When the fire started Erik had lost complete view of his child. Then after he had broken the window he saw her. A beam had fallen and hit her on the head, causing her to lose consciousness. Quickly and quietly, he worked his way through the crowd and to her side.  
  
Looking around he saw her friends being pulled to the window by their parents. But where were Jacqueline's foster parents? Realizing he had no time to ponder this, Erik lifted his child and brought her out to the starry night. Gently he placed her on the ground away from the smoldering church and he sang to her in a soft voice, willing her to wake.  
  
In the middle of his song, her eyes fluttered open. He noticed her pale face started to regain some of her former color. "Ma? Pa? ", She murmured. "Hush little one"  
  
***************  
  
Jacqueline looked up at this strange man without any fear. His voice had calmed her greatly. But what had happened? She remembered getting up to sing and looking upon all the faces and being greatly frightened. These weren't reasons to be out lying on the ground with a strange man in a mask next to a . fire?  
  
"Jacqueline!" She heard someone call her name frantically.  
"Jacqueline, is that you?"  
"Alyssa?"  
"Oh Jackie! You're okay! How did you get out?"  
"What happened? All I remember is getting up in front of everyone."  
"Your don't remember? There was a fire a-and everyone started running around to get out, I saw you pass out but my parents told me to get outside so I did. Kiley, Michelle, and I were scared, we didn't know what had happened to you."  
  
Jacqueline had been listening to her friend's story closely. Okay there was a fire. So the man must have saved her from the flames. The man! Where had he gone? Why had he left so suddenly before she could thank him?  
  
"Alyssa where did that man go?"  
  
"Jackie, you must have gotten hit on the head harder than I thought. No one was out here." Alyssa said matter of factly.  
"Maybe I was just seeing things, but."  
"No forget it let's just go find your parents"  
  
The two girls set off towards the smoldering building. On the way, they met up with the other members of their group and all four of them continued the search for the McCarthys. Then when they had just turned around to see if Jacqueline's parents had gone to the other side of the building, a priest came up to them with a saddened air.  
  
"Miss. McCarthy a word if you please?" He said quietly.  
"Yes father?"  
"During the fire not everyone was able to get out and well about ten people have perished this evening, and what I mean to say is your parents. Well your parents were among the ten."  
  
The shock could not have been greater if she was told everything she had ever believed in was untrue. Her body shook violently and she shook her head unbelievingly. Why would a priest lie? Her parents were alive weren't they? Surely there must be a mistake.  
"Father.?"  
"I am sorry." The priest replied.  
"NO!" Her head was swirling and her body became numb. She looked around and saw the faces of her friends and the priest looking at her apprehensively before everything went black. 


	4. Chapter Three

Wow... sorry it's taken so long. Life has the uncanny ability to get in the way. Yeah... well the story's just about done... umm I worked on the paragraph thing... and I still can't figure it out. This year life at school's slower so hopefully I can get this whole bloody thing up soon. Thanks everyone for reviews... please forgive me for my ages of doing very little but reading rent-fics on Wish you all the best! remember reviews/ construction highly appreciated.

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Jacqueline was dimly aware of voices around her. She felt a strange loneliness in her and it did not take long to remember why. She was in her bed, in her house, but now it had all changed her small family would never enter it again. Her parents and sister were gone ... forever.

"We have to tell her." Came Alyssa's panicked voice.

"_How_ Alyssa? She's completely out not to mention the fact I don't want to!" was Kiley's reply.

Michelle was just about to voice her opinion when a new, timid, voice entered the conversation.

"Tell me what?"

"Uh Jackie I don't think now is the time." Michelle was definitely on Kiley's side of whatever it was they were squabbling about.

"FORGET IT! She has to know what's going to happen doesn't she?" Alyssa's temper had exploded, "Not to mention the fact we're going to be leaving with her in two weeks."

"Leaving with me where?"

"Jackie in two weeks we're all going to France to umm well..."

"Great Alyssa you go telling her then lose your courage."

This erupted into a small dispute, but Jacqueline hardly noticed. France? How could she go to France if her parents weren't even alive to pay for the trip? Why were her friends going with her? And what was going on? She would have to find out.

"STOP IT! TELL ME WHAT'S GOING ON!"

"Jack, did you ever know you were well adopted?"

"No I certainly did not Ky, and I definitely was _not_ adopted!"

"Jack, _listen to us._ Haven't you ever wondered why you looked nothing like your parents? Your real parents live in France, which is why we are all going to France. They used a telegram and got in touch with you birth parents. They are going to take you back with them."

"Who are they?" Jacqueline gave in; her life was changing fast.

"Their names are the Chagnys," said Alyssa with a thick grabling of the French.

"Your Father's name is Raoul de Chagny, your Mother's name is Christine de Chagny, and your twin brother's name is Charles de Chagny," explained Kiley.

"Oh Jacqueline here is the best part! Your new family is a rich Parisian family. You'll be living in a big mansion and wearing the latest fashions! All the things we play at," exclaimed Michelle who loved the finer things in life.

A rich nobleman? If her Father was a rich nobleman why was she growing up on a farm? Why was she unaware of her identity? And who was the man who saved her? The pieces of the puzzle just didn't fit right.

Erik had spent the day in suspense. He knew her parents had died but did not know of the plan for her to be reunited with her mother and step-father, that is he did not know of it until he heard the conversation of the girls through the open window.

How could they send this innocent child back to the Vicomte? Of course! Her foster parents must not have known why this child had ended up in their care. Maybe if he could just get hold of her she would go with him. Perhaps, she would trust him. He would give everything so that he could raise her to be a polite child knowing her true story, unlike what she would get at the Chagny house.

Then he looked through the window. What he saw vanquished any thoughts of kidnapping. He saw a pale child who was trying her best to understand her friend's words. _She has no idea about her life. Taking her away would just confuse her more. How can you be such a fool Erik? Think of her! _Erik's thoughts were strong in his head.

While he was thinking three young girls exited the house.

"Alyssa why did you have to tell her?"

"She should know don't you think? I mean we _are_ starting out to the port in four days. Even Jacqueline needs to pack her few things."

"What few things Alyssa? Her prized possession is her horse that she told us to take care of. All she has now are her dresses."

"Isn't that what we all have? At least now she'll get to be a rich French girl."

"She won't last a day. Remember the time we tried to be refined? Jacqueline was the first to give up and go wading in the creek. She's a hopeless case."

"We'll just have to teach her," the one added with a mischievous grin.

So he had a little tomboy for a daughter? Oh won't the Vicomte love that? A tomboy who sings like a lark, speaks no French, and looks like her infamous father, the Phantom of the opera. At least Christine will be forgiving. Erik knew however hard the Vicomte tried; Christine would mold Jacqueline into a well-behaved well-mannered child. However, something in his mind told him it would not be to difficult, after all she already had the voice of an angel why could not she act like one?

Charles would protect his sister, Erik knew this and his thoughts were at ease. His son would take care of his daughter. Jacqueline certainly seemed to need the protection now. She was as helpless and naïve as a newborn. Even if Charles' protection ever failed, there would always be one other there to protect her, her father, the angel of music.


End file.
